Voice information service system and method utilizing approximately matched input character string and key word

ABSTRACT

A voice information system utilizing approximately matched input character string and key word and a method for the approximate matching thereof is disclosed. A telephone apparatus is provided to transmit a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal by utilizing a character panel including a plurality of buttons which are orderly arranged therein. An exchange apparatus is provided to intermediate the DTMF signal. A telephone line matching apparatus is connected from the exchange apparatus to detect a line status of the system and protect the system from an instantaneous higher voltage. A DTMF receiver apparatus converts the DTMF signal into a corresponding digital signal. A service provider terminal apparatus is provided to input a plurality of key words corresponding to each service name and information data to be provided. A key word storage apparatus includes a service name file unit for storing a service name file, and a key word dictionary unit for storing a key word dictionary. A text information storage apparatus stores a plurality of information data corresponding to each service name. A central processing unit converts a digital signal outputted from the DTMF receiver apparatus into an input character string to match the input character string with the key words stored in the key word storage apparatus in order to provide information data. A voice output apparatus is connected from the central processing unit, for converting a digital voice data signal into a voice signal to thereby provide the desired information service to the user.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a voice information service system, moreparticularly to a voice information service system utilizingapproximately matched input character string and key word which areconstituted by an access code corresponding to a desired specificcharacter by combining DTMF (dual tone multi- frequency) signals toprovide various vocal information services by means of a telephone, andan approximate matching method thereof.

2. Information Disclosure Statement

In general, when the user wants to research detailed information uponand/or after accessing a desired service in a voice information servicesystem, a voice information service system has problems because an exactservice number or an item name number must be inputted therein in aprecise order, or a corresponding service name or an item name must beprecisely inputted therein in order to obtain desired voice informationservice therefrom. For example, when a service for identifying a presentstock quotation is requested by utilizing a telephone through the voiceinformation service system, a desired service number or service namesuch as "stock market quotes" must be exactly inputted therein.Otherwise, the desired service name and the service number must beauthenticated by the system user to obtain a desired service.

In order to resolve the above problems, one object of the invention isto provide access to a voice information service system in which adesired specific character is inputted by selecting two buttons fromamong the number of buttons of a touch-tone type telephone and pressingthem in a given sequence, thereby obtaining the desired service in theform of a vocal output.

Another object of the invention is to provide a voice informationservice system for inputting a continuous character string withoutmaking a distinction between component words, thereby providing adesired service through a touch-tone type telephone.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method for approximatelymatching an input character string with a key word in the vocalinformation service system.

The preceding objects should be construed as merely presenting a few ofthe more pertinent features and applications of the invention. Manyother beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosedinvention in a different manner or modifying the invention within thescope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fullerunderstanding of the invention may be obtained by referring to both thesummary of the invention and the detailed description, below, whichdescribe the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of theinvention defined by the claims considered in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The voice information service system utilizing approximately matchedinput character string and key word, and the method for the approximatematching thereof of the present invention is defined by the claims witha specific embodiment shown in the attached drawings. For the purpose ofsummarizing the invention, the invention relates to a voice informationsystem utilizing approximately matched input character string and keyword. The voice information system comprises a telephone means fortransmitting dual tone multi-frequency signals by pressing two buttonsof a plurality of buttons in an ordered sequence. The telephone meanscomprises a character panel including a plurality of buttons which areorderly arranged therein. An exchange means is provided forintermediating the DTMF signals received from the telephone means. Atelephone line matching apparatus is connected from the exchange meansfor detecting a line status of the system and protecting the system froman instantaneous higher voltage. A DTMF receiver apparatus is alsoprovided for converting the DTMF signal inputted from the telephonemeans into a corresponding digital signal. A service provider terminalmeans is provided for inputting a plurality of key words correspondingto a plurality of service names and a plurality of information data tobe provided. A key word storage apparatus is provided with a servicename file unit for storing a service name file in which a plurality ofthe service names and service numbers corresponding thereto areregistered, and a key word dictionary unit for storing a key worddictionary in which a plurality of the key words and service numbers areregistered. A text information storage apparatus is provided for storinga plurality of information data corresponding to each service name ofinformation data to be provided, which is inputted from the serviceprovider terminal means. A central processing unit is provided forconverting digital signals outputted from the DTMF receiver apparatusinto an input character string, reading information data correspondingto a service name, which is obtained by matching the input characterstring with the key words stored in the key word storage apparatus, fromthe text information storage apparatus to thereby provide readinformation data, converting the read information data into digitalvoice data, and receiving a service name, a key word and informationdata to be provided, which are newly listed by the service providerterminal means to transfer and to store the service name and the keyword to and at the key word storage apparatus, the information data toand at the text information storage apparatus, respectively. A voiceoutput apparatus is connected from the central processing unit, forconverting digital voice data output signals into a voice signal totransfer the voice signal through the telephone line matching apparatusand the exchange means to the telephone means.

Preferably, the central processing unit comprises: an input unit forsyllabicating an input character string inputted by a user intocharacter units; a service name matching unit for attempting to matchthe input character string inputted from the input unit with a servicename corresponding thereto of a plurality of the service names stored atthe service name file unit; a key word matching unit connected to theservice name matching unit for attempting to match the input characterstring with a key word corresponding thereto of a plurality of the keywords stored at the key word storage apparatus to thereby determine atleast one or more additional prospective service names; an optimumservice name determining unit connected from the key word matching unitfor determining one optimum service name of the prospective servicenames if more than two of the prospective service names exist; and, anoutput unit connected both to the service name matching unit and to theoptimum service name determining unit for receiving a service nameand/or an optimum service name from any one of the service name matchingunits and/or the optimum service name determining unit to thereby outputinformation data corresponding to each service name and/or an optimumservice name.

The present invention further includes a method for approximatelymatching an input character string with a key word in the voiceinformation service system including a central processing unitcomprising the steps of:

A) discriminating as to whether all characters of an input characterstring, formed by syllabicating an input character string into aplurality of character numbers having a first character through a lastcharacter, are matched with all characters of a service name having afirst character through a last character stored in the centralprocessing unit;

B) discriminating as to whether a matched key word obtained by matchingthe first character of the input character string with the firstcharacter of the key word stored in the system exists, if all thecharacters of the input character string are not matched with allcharacters of a service name at step A);

C) discriminating as to whether a matched key word obtained byindividually matching all remaining characters including the lastcharacter of the input character string with those of the key wordexists, if the matched key word exists at step B);

D) storing service numbers and all the character numbers relating tomatched key words, all the character numbers representing acorresponding character sequence of the input character string, in amatching result file, if the matched key words exist at step C);

E) sequentially adding a next character number either to the firstcharacter of the input character string at step B), or to the partiallymatched character thereof at step C), if the matched key words do notexist at step B) or C);

F) identifying whether the individual matching from the first characterof the input character string to the last character of the inputcharacter string between those of the key word has been accomplished;

G) selecting optimum service names by investigating the matching resultfile stored at step D); and,

H) determining the number of prospective services finally obtained bydetermining optimum service names at step G), both to output informationdata corresponding to the service name obtained either by taking one ifthe number of the prospective services is one, or by selecting one ofthem if the number thereof is two, thereby ending the method, and toreturn from step H) to step A), if the number thereof is either none ormore than two.

According to one feature of the invention, the CPU (central processingunit) converts signals transferred from a DTMF receiver apparatus intoan input character string to thereby provide a converted input characterstring, so that the converted input character string is discriminated asto whether it is matched with a service name or an item name stored at aservice name file unit in the key word storage apparatus. Then, the CPUreceives from an external computer or its text information storageapparatus employed therein information data corresponding to the servicename or the item name if the matching therebetween is accomplished, andreceives information data corresponding to a service name or an itemname obtained by re-matching the input character string with a key wordstored at the key word dictionary unit in the key word storage apparatusif the matching therebetween is not accomplished, respectively, and thentransfers them to a voice output apparatus. The voice output apparatusthen converts the text data into a voice signal to transmit it through atelephone line matching apparatus and an exchange means to the telephonemeans.

According to other features of the invention, a key word is provided bydividing a service name or an item name and an additional key word inthe form of a compound noun type into its component word, and is thenstored at the key word dictionary unit in alphabetic order to increasethe processing speed of the CPU.

Therefore, in light of the fact that a key word is mainly made in theform of a compound noun type, the invention has advantages that aservice name such as, for example, "Stockmarket", "Marketquotes","Stockquotes" or "Stock", etc. can be inputted directly into the voiceinformation service system through a MFC (multi-frequency code) typetelephone which is well known in the art without inputting an exactservice number or an exact service name such as, for example,"Stockmarketquotes", thereby providing a desired service to users.

The more pertinent and important features of the present invention havebeen outlined above in order that the detailed description of theinvention which follows will be better understood and that the presentcontribution to the art can be fully appreciated. Additional features ofthe invention described hereinafter form the subject of the claims ofthe invention. Those skilled in the art can appreciate that theconception and the specific embodiment disclosed herein may be readilyutilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures forcarrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Further, thoseskilled in the art can realize that such equivalent constructions do notdepart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in theclaims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be made to the following detailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram representing a voice information servicesystem according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a configuration of a conventional character panel forinputting a plurality of characters;

FIG. 3 is a configuration of a character panel used in a voiceinformation service system according to the invention;

FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B are a key word storage apparatus and an informationstorage apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating matching procedures in CPUaccording to the invention; and,

FIG. 6 is a detail flow chart illustrating matching procedures in CPUaccording to the invention.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a voice information service system 100 for inputting acharacter string. DTMF signals inputted from character panel 30 forgenerating character data, which is attached to a telephone means 1 forsubscriber, are supplied through a well known exchange means 2 forintermediating the character data to a telephone line matching apparatus3. The telephone line matching apparatus 3 supervises a telephone linestatus of, for example, ringing signal, dial tone and busy tone, etc.,while it blocks the instantaneous higher voltage introduced therein dueto such as, for example, a thunderbolt, thereby protecting the system.Also, the telephone line matching apparatus 3 is connected through aDTMF (dual tone multi-frequency) receiver apparatus 4 and a voice outputapparatus 5, respectively, to a CPU 8. The CPU 8 is connected to a keyword storage apparatus 6, a text information storage apparatus 7 and aservice provider terminal means 9, respectively.

On the other hand, the DTMF receiver apparatus 4 converts DTMF signalsinputted by a user into 4 bit digital signals to thereby supplyconverted digital signals to the CPU 8. The CPU 8 then converts theconverted digital signals transmitted from the DTMF receiver apparatus 4into a character string, and attempts to match the character string witha plurality of key words stored at the key word storage apparatus 6. Theresults of the approximately matching procedure thereof will beexplained in detail in connection with FIG. 5.

Herein, the key word storage apparatus 6 includes a service name fileunit 6A and a key word dictionary unit 6B, as shown in FIG. 4A. Theservice name file unit 6A includes a plurality of service names andservice numbers stored therein, and the key word dictionary unit 6Bincludes a plurality of key words and service numbers stored therein.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the CPU 8 reads information datacorresponding to a service number obtained in the resulting of itsmatching procedure from the text information storage apparatus 7. TheCPU 8 then converts information data into voice data and transfers theconverted voice data to the voice output apparatus 5. The voice outputapparatus 5 then converts voice information data from the CPU 8 into avoice signal to thereby supply the voice signal through the telephoneline matching apparatus 3 and exchange means 2 to the telephone means 1,thereby allowing the user to hear the desired information in a voiceform. The CPU 8 also receives a plurality of service names, key wordsand information data, which are newly inputted by means of serviceprovider terminal means 9, and transmits service names and key words tothe key word storage apparatus 6 and service information data to thetext information storage apparatus 7, respectively, to register themtherein.

FIG. 2 shows a conventional character panel 20 for inputting characters.The character panel 20 is constructed in the manner to input a characterstring by selectively pressing a plurality of buttons 20N the number oftimes corresponding to the position of the predetermined character, towhich a number of characters are respectively allotted. For example, inorder to input English characters "C, E, G", the user must press thebuttons 1, 2, 3 of a plurality of buttons 20N the number of times of 3,2, 1 corresponding to relative sequential position of each character, inthe manner that the format "111, 22, 3" is formed. However, suchconfiguration causes the inconvenience in pressing the same buttonrepeatedly. Further, the receiving error often happens due to the vagueinput, since the time interval for pressing each of a plurality ofbuttons 20N to input a character string is often uneven. For example,the characters "ac", "ca", and "bb" are inputted by pressing button 1four times to form the format "1111" in the same way. Consequently, itis difficult for a receiving side to distinguish between the inputtedcharacters.

In order to resolve these problems, a character panel 30 having acharacter arrangement in connection with a plurality of buttons 30Nmounted on the telephone means 1 according to the invention is shown inFIG. 3.

Inputting a character by using the character panel 30 is performed bypressing two adjacent buttons in a given order, in the manner that abutton close to the representing character is firstly pressed, and thenanother button spaced away therefrom in the same direction is pressed.For example, inputting the word "school" is made by pressing twoadjacent buttons of a plurality of buttons 30N corresponding to theposition of each of characters "s, c, h, o, o, l" in a given order inconnection with the position of the representing character in thecharacter panel 30, so that the format "58, 23, 65, 47, 47, 98" may beformed. Therefore it is easy to input characters, while it can solve theinconvenience in pressing the same button several times as in the priorart. Also, since only two figure buttons per each character areoperated, it can prevent the receiving error from occurring, which oftenhappens in a conventional character panel 20 as shown in FIG. 2. On theother hand, the character panel 30 can be manufactured separately fromthe telephone means 1 or be manufactured by directly printing them onthe telephone means 1.

FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B represent configurations of a key word storageapparatus 6 and a text information storage apparatus 7. The key wordstorage apparatus 6 includes a service name file unit 6A and a key worddictionary unit 6B. The text information storage apparatus 7 stores aplurality of information to be provided. It is assumed that servicenames are A, B, C. Service names A, B, C and service numbers i, j, kcorresponding thereto are stored in the service name file unit 6A of thekey word storage apparatus 6, so that the former, service names, may bestored in alphabetic order to increase the researching speed of thememory device, and the latter, service numbers, may be designated toavoid overlapping with one another. The key word dictionary unit 6Bstores a plurality of key words obtained by dividing a service name of ausually compound noun type and an additional key word into eachcomponent word, and a plurality of service numbers corresponding theretoin alphabetic order. Herein, it is noted that one key word can have twoor more service numbers. For example, a key word b1 has service numbers"j" and "k", as shown in FIG. 4A, so that service names become key wordsof B, C. Assuming that the service name is "stock market quotes",component words "stock", "market", "quotes" become key words. Each ofthese key words is stored in the key word dictionary unit 6B withservice numbers allotted to "stockmarketquotes". If two services suchas, for example, "express bus time table" and "train time table" arepresent, each of "time" and "table" has two service numbers. The textinformation storage apparatus 7 stores information data IA, IB, IC ...corresponding to each service name. Each of the information data is notuniform in shape and size.

FIG. 5 shows a block diagram illustrating the matching procedure betweenan input character string and a key word in the CPU 8 of FIG. 1. Aninput unit 11 syllabicates the input character string into characters totransfer them to a service name matching unit 12. The service namematching unit 12 attempts to match the transferred input characterstring with a service name. It then transfers it to an output unit 15,if successfully matching thereof; otherwise, it transfers the inputcharacter string to a key word matching unit 13. The key word matchingunit 13 attempts to match the input character string with a plurality ofthe key words stored in the key word dictionary unit 6B to determine aprospective service name and to transfer it to an optimum service namedetermining unit 14. The optimum service name determining unit 14determines an optimum service name, if two or more prospective servicenames are present, and then transfers it to the output unit 15. Theoutput unit 15 outputs information data corresponding to the optimumservice name to the telephone means 1. Detailed matching procedures willbe described in detail below.

FIG. 6 shows a flow chart of the approximately matching proceduresillustrated in FIG. 5. In the first step, the CPU 8 is initialized witha starting signal. An input character string is inputted in the form ofcharacter units at step 101. Step 101 then proceeds to step 102 tosyllabicate the input character string, which is inputted withoutdistinguishing between their component words, into character units a1,a2, a3 ... aN. Then, an attempt is made to match the input characterstring by character units with a plurality of service names stored atthe service name file unit 6A in the key word storage apparatus 6, atstep 103. Giving a concrete example, it is assumed that an inputcharacter string is "phonedirectory" and a service name to be matched is"phone banking", the first character "p" of the input character stringis compared with first character "p" of the service name of a pluralityof service names, and the next characters therebetween "h" and "h", "o"and "o" ... are compared with each other in order. At step 103, if theservice name matched with all characters of the input character stringexists, that is, the service name which is the same as the inputcharacter string exists, the step 103 proceeds to step 104 to output thecorresponding service name. This ends the matching procedures.

On the contrary, if the matching is unsuccessful at step 103, step 103proceeds to step 105 to compare the first character, "a1", of the inputcharacter string with the first character of the key word stored at thekey word dictionary unit 6B in the key word apparatus 6 shown in FIG. 1.If their first characters are equal, step 105 proceeds to step 106,otherwise step 105 proceeds to step 108. At step 106, the nextcharacters of the input character string are continuously andindividually compared or matched with the second character, thirdcharacter, ..., of the key word in the key word dictionary unit 6B. Ifthe key word matched successfully with their last characters exists,step 106 proceeds to step 107, otherwise step 106 proceeds to step 108.At step 107, both service numbers with respect to the key words whichare matched at step 106 and the input character string numbersrepresenting a corresponding character sequence of the input characterstring with respect to the matched key word, are stored in a matchingresult file and step 107 proceeds then to step 108. For example,assuming that the input character string is "credit card check", and thekey words in which the matching has been accomplished are "credit","credit card", "card" and "check", in the way that the key word "credit"has the registration numbers of 5, 7 and 8, the key word "credit card"has the registration number of 5, and the key word "card" has theregistration numbers of 5, 6, 7 and 9, the key words "credit", "creditcard", "card" and "check" are then registered at service number 5 tocoincide with the sequence of the matched input character string, asshown in TABLE 1 in which an example of the matching result file isillustrated. That is, the key word "credit" is registered at thepositions from the first to the sixth character of the input characterstring.

Returning to FIG. 6, at step 108, a next character number is addedeither to the first character of the input character number (i) at step105, or to the partially matched character thereof at step 106. Step 108proceeds then to step 109 to identify whether the matching has beenperformed to the last character (aN) of the input character string. Ifthe matching is completed, step 109 proceeds to step 110, otherwise step109 proceeds to step 105 in order to re-match the input character stringhaving an increased character number with the key word. At step 110, thematching result file stored at step 107 is investigated to selectoptimum service names.

A selecting procedure of an optimum service name will be described withreference to TABLE 1. An input character string, "credit card check"consisting of 15 characters has been matched with four key words("credit", "credit card", "card", "check") according to the results oftheir matching. Key words, "credit", "credit card", "card" and "check"matched successfully at service number 5 are 4. Arranging the key wordsto avoid overlap with each other, the key words become "credit cardcheck", "credit check" and "card check", etc. The number of key wordsfor the arrangement "credit card check" containing the maximum number ofkey words is 3. This number is the largest constituting number of keywords, which are matched exclusively to each other. The maximum numberof key words having service numbers, 6 and 7, is 2. In this case, theservice names corresponding to service number 5 which is the largestnumber of key words are selected as optimum service names.

On the other hand, step 110 proceeds to step 111 to determine the numberof prospective services to be finally selected. If the optimum servicename selected at step 110 is 1, step proceeds to step 113 to select thecorresponding service name, and to output it. If the number of optimumservice names selected at step 110 is none or more than two, step 111returns to step 101 to input the input character string again. If thenumber of the optimum service names selected at step 110 is two, step111 proceeds to step 112 for the user to select one of them as indicatedat step 112A. Thus, step 112 proceeds to step 113 to output thecorresponding optimum service names through the telephone means for thesystem user to select one of optimum service names, thereby completingthe selecting procedures of the optimum service. Finally, informationdata corresponding to a service name selected during the matchingprocedures is outputted to the telephone means in a vocal form.

As described above, the invention can avoid the undesirable need forrecalling or identifying an exact service number and item number one byone, notwithstanding that the character string is inputted using aconventional MFC type telephone. Also, the invention has prominenteffects in exactly finding a service name or item name through only theapproximately input operation by dividing a service name or an item nameand an additional key word into their component words so as to storethem in the key word dictionary unit in an ordered sequence, bycomparing input character string, which has been continuously inputtedwithout making a distinction into its component words, with key wordsstored in the key word dictionary in ordered sequence, and by selectingeither a service name or an item name which has the largest number ofmatched key words.

Although this invention has been described in its preferred form with acertain degree of particularity, it is appreciated by those skilled inthe art that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been madeonly by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

                  TABLE 1                                                         ______________________________________                                        EXAMPLE OF THE                                                                MATCHING RESULT FILE CONTENTS                                                 INPUT                       MAXIMUM                                           SERVICE                     NUMBER OF                                         NUMBER     CREDITCARDCHECK  KEY WORDS                                         ______________________________________                                        5          CREDIT           4                                                            CREDITCARD                                                                    CARD                                                                          CHECK                                                              6          CREDIT           2                                                            CARD                                                               7          CARD             2                                                            CHECK                                                              8          CREDIT           1                                                 9          CHECK            1                                                 .          .                .                                                 ______________________________________                                    

What is claimed is:
 1. A voice information system for utilizingapproximately matched input character string and key words, comprising:atelephone means having a character panel with an alphabetic-numericcharacter display and a plurality of buttons which are orderly arrangedon said character panel for transmitting DTMF signals by pressing twodifferent buttons of said plurality of buttons in an ordered sequencethereby specifically designating a single character of said display ofalphabetic and numeric characters; an exchange means for intermediatingsaid DTMF signals received from said telephone means; a telephone linematching apparatus connected to said exchange means for detecting a linestatus of the system; a DTMF receiver apparatus for converting said DTMFsignals inputted from said telephone means into corresponding digitalsignals; a service provider terminal means for inputting a plurality ofkey words each with a corresponding service number, a plurality ofservice names each with a corresponding service number, and a pluralityof information data corresponding to said plurality of service names,respectively, and wherein said plurality of key words corresponds tosaid plurality of service names; a key word storage apparatus includinga service name file unit for storing said plurality of service names andsaid service numbers corresponding thereto and a key word dictionaryunit for storing said plurality of key words and said service numberscorresponding thereto; a text information storage apparatus for storingsaid plurality of information data corresponding to each said servicename of said plurality of service names inputted from said serviceprovider terminal means; a central processing unit (CPU) for convertingsaid digital signals outputted from said DTMF receiver apparatus into aninput character string, for reading said information data stored in saidtext information storage apparatus which corresponds to a selectedservice name obtained by matching said input character string with saidkey words stored in said key word storage apparatus and for outputtingsaid read information data, for converting said read information datainto selected digital voice data and outputting said selected digitalvoice data, and for receiving a service name and corresponding servicenumber, a key word and corresponding service number and information datainput by said service provider terminal means and to transfer saidservice name and said key word to said key word storage apparatus forstoring thereat and to transfer said information data to said textinformation storage apparatus for storage thereat, respectively; and, avoice output apparatus connected to said CPU, for receiving saidselected digital voice data outputted by said CPU and for convertingsaid selected digital voice data into a voice signal and for outputtingsaid voice signal through said telephone line matching apparatus andsaid exchange means to said telephone means for vocalizing said voicesignal to thereby communicate user desired information by voicecommunication.
 2. The voice information system of claim 1 wherein saidcentral processing unit comprises:an input unit for syllabicating aninput character string inputted by a user into character units; aservice name matching unit for attempting to match said input characterstring inputted from said input unit with a service name correspondingthereto of a plurality of said service names stored at said service namefile unit; a key word matching unit connected to said service namematching unit for attempting to match said input character string with akey word corresponding thereto of a plurality of said key words storedat said key word storage apparatus to thereby determine at least one ormore additional prospective service names; an optimum service namedetermining unit connected to said key word matching unit fordetermining one optimum service name of said prospective service namesif more than two of said prospective service names exist; and, an outputunit connected both to said service name matching unit and to saidoptimum service name determining unit for receiving a service nameand/or an optimum service name from any one of said service namematching unit and/or said optimum service name determining unit tothereby output information data corresponding to each service nameand/or an optimum service name.
 3. The voice information system of claim1 wherein said service name file unit of the key word storage apparatusstores a plurality of said service names therein in alphabetic order toincrease the researching process speed of said central processing unitand designates a plurality of service numbers corresponding to each ofsaid service names to prevent them from overlapping each other.
 4. Thevoice information system of claim 1 wherein said key word dictionaryunit of said key word storage apparatus stores a plurality of key wordsobtained by dividing a plurality of said service names consisting of acompound noun type and a plurality of additional key words into theircorresponding component words, and a plurality of said service numberscorresponding to each of said key words in alphabetic order.
 5. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein said each said button of said plurality ofbuttons has a top with a predetermined numeral displayed thereon andsaid character panel includes a plurality of characters with apredetermined number of characters proximate each said button displayedthereat such that an array of said plurality of characters is displayedon said character panel such that in use a predetermined characterarranged on said character panel is input by first pressing a buttonpositioned most proximate said predetermined character and then bypressing a second different button which is positioned opposite to andin line with both said predetermined character and said first buttonthereby transmitting a pair of DTMF signals for selecting a single andexclusive character from said plurality of characters displayed on saidcharacter panel.
 6. The system of claim 5, wherein said plurality ofbuttons includes at least ten buttons and proximate each said buttonsaid character panel includes at least four characters displayedthereat, including grammatical characters, such that an array ofalphabetic, arithmetic and grammatical characters is displayed on saidcharacter panel to enable in use pressing of one of said plurality ofbuttons positioned most proximate to a predetermined character to betransmitted and then pressing another button of said plurality ofbuttons which is spaced away from the first pressed button in the samedirection as the predetermined character thereby transmitting a pair ofDTMF signals for selecting a single and exclusive character from saiddisplay of alphabetic, arithmetic and grammatical characters.
 7. A voiceinformation system for utilizing approximately matched input characterstring and key words, comprising:a telephone means displayingalphabetic-numeric-gramatic characters and a plurality of buttons whichare orderly arranged on a character panel for transmitting DTMF signalsby pressing two different buttons of said plurality of buttons in anordered sequence thereby specifically designating a single and exclusivecharacter from said displayed alphabetic, numeric and gramaticcharacters; said plurality of buttons including at least ten buttonswith each button allocated a predetermined numeral displayed thereon andproximate each said button said character panel includes at least fourcharacters displayed thereat such that an array of alphabetic,arithmetic and grammatical characters is displayed to enable in use apressing of one of said plurality of buttons positioned most proximateto the desired character to be transmitted and then pressing anotherbutton of said plurality of buttons which is spaced away from said firstpressed button in the same direction as the desired character therebytransmitting a pair of DTMF signals for selecting a single and exclusivecharacter from said display of said alphabetic, arithmetic andgrammatical characters; an exchange means for intermediating said DTMFsignals received from said telephone means; a telephone line matchingapparatus connected to said exchange means for detecting a line statusof the system; a DTMF receiver apparatus for converting said DTMFsignals inputted from said telephone means into corresponding digitalsignals; a service provider terminal means for inputting a plurality ofkey words each with a corresponding service number, a plurality ofservice names each with a corresponding service number, and a pluralityof information data corresponding to said plurality of service names,respectively, and wherein said plurality of key words corresponds tosaid plurality of service names; a key word storage apparatus includinga service name file unit for storing said plurality of service names andsaid service numbers corresponding thereto and a key word dictionaryunit for storing said plurality of key words and said service numberscorresponding thereto; a text information storage apparatus for storingsaid plurality of information data corresponding to each said servicename of said plurality of service names inputted from said serviceprovider terminal means; a central processing unit (CPU) for convertingsaid digital signals outputted from said DTMF receiver apparatus into aninput character string, for reading said information data stored in saidtext information storage apparatus which corresponds to a selectedservice name obtained by matching said input character string with saidkey words stored in said key word storage apparatus and for outputtingsaid read information data, for converting said read information datainto selected digital voice data and outputting said selected digitalvoice data, and for receiving a service name and corresponding servicenumber, a key word and corresponding service number and information datainput by said service provider terminal means and to transfer saidservice name and said key word to said key word storage apparatus forstoring thereat and to transfer said information data to said textinformation storage apparatus for storage thereat, respectively; and, avoice output apparatus connected to said CPU, for receiving saidselected digital voice data outputted by said CPU and for convertingsaid selected digital voice data into a voice signal and for outputtingsaid voice signal though said telephone line matching apparatus and saidexchange means to said telephone means for vocalizing said voice signalto thereby communicate user desired information by voice communication,wherein said CPU further comprises: an input unit for syllabicating aninput character string inputted by a user into character units; aservice name matching unit for attempting to match said input characterstring inputted from said input unit with a service name correspondingthereto of a plurality of said service names stored at said service namefile unit; a key word matching unit connected to said service namematching unit for attempting to match said input character string with akey word corresponding thereto of a plurality of said key words storedat said key word storage apparatus to thereby determine at least one ormore additional prospective service names; an optimum service namedetermining unit connected to said key word matching unit fordetermining one optimum service name of said prospective service namesif more than two of said prospective service names exist; and an outputunit connected both to said service name matching unit and to saidoptimum service name determining unit for receiving a service nameand/or an optimum service name from any one of said service namematching unit and/or said optimum service name determining unit tothereby output information data corresponding to each service nameand/or an optimum service name.
 8. The voice information system of claim7 wherein said service name file unit of the key word storage apparatusstores a plurality of said service names therein in alphabetic order toincrease the researching process speed of said central processing unitand designates a plurality of service numbers corresponding to each ofsaid service names to prevent them from overlapping each other.
 9. Thevoice information system of claim 7 wherein said key word dictionaryunit of said key word storage apparatus stores a plurality of key wordsobtained by dividing a plurality of said service names consisting of acompound noun type and a plurality of additional key words into theircorresponding component words, and a plurality of said service numberscorresponding to each said key word in alphabetic order.